Came out of a great booth full of all kinds of old photos which are in some of my other posts. Found several of old homes, with notes on the back of the photos, this was one of them, its fading but still has some life to it, and once again this is someones history complete with their home in the photo. I do wonder if this is the back side of the house? But it has a walkway and gate, but just makes me wonder whats around the other side as it looks like a wide columned porch.

Says on the back“Me on the outskirts of Farmington
On the steps Uncle Will and Aunt Matt Lerche and Hazel. Aunt Matt and Mamma were sisters.
Grandma and Grandpa Stirlings home in Farmington, Iowa” Remember to click on the photo to get more of a closeup.

On Family Search Site I have found this in the 1910 Census in Farmington, Van Buren, Iowa

William Lerche born in Germany 1860

Martha E. Lerche maiden name Stirling (also listed as Mattie) born in New Hampshire 1864

I have done some research on the internet and their is a website with Farmington, Iowa history, some great old photos and a book from the late 1800s with house photos and named who lived in them all. I was excited to see on one site there is a “Stirling Home” still standing and lived in, but when I look it doesnt appear to match this home, so I wonder how many Stirlings there were at the time this was taken and if they were related to Ma and Pa and sister Martha from this photo? There are records of a Stirling Woolen Mill, which provided jobs for the area, all year long.